The Return?
by rin916
Summary: Sequel to Runaway for those who asked for one : Paul/Dawn T for saftey.
1. Return Weaville

Here is the sequel to Runaway. I have had the first chapter written for some time, but I didn't want to post it because I did not have the slightest idea where I would go from there. That and I needed a stupid title for this story. However that issue is fixed.

This is loosely based off of the song "Home" By Daughtry (which I don't own, much like Pokemon).

I think it is more apparent at the end of the chapter.

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><p>It had been a year since he gave up his Weavile. Paul sat by a boulder thinking about that day. He had cried after he quit running that day (AN Paul crying yes shocking i know). He ran for what he figured was about four miles as fast as he could. Then when he stopped, he sat on the ground and sobbed.

Just because he never showed his emotions didn't mean he didn't have them, and was it Dawn's fault? No, it wasn't, but to Paul, who he had spent all his time trying to please Dawn, never got to assess his own emotions.

Before he started to travel with her, he at least could let out his emotions through anger, but with Dawn they just got pushed away completely.

He was now just a day's walk from his home town of Veilstone City. He had decided to come back to Sinnoh. He had stopped to rest for the night, but his mind was running so much since it was the anniversary of the day he left his pokemon with the girl he **still** loved. So, he got up and started to walk through the night.

About six hours later, in the very early morning, he ran into Ash and Misty. "Hey Paul, where is Dawn?"

Paul's face went from unemotional to bitter, "She stopped traveling with me last year. She is still in Kanto." Paul said, his voice dripping venom. "I think." He mumbled.

"What was that?" Ash poked.

"I said I think I am not sure. It isn't like I have talked to her." Paul said scowling.

"She is, we talked right before she went to bed yesterday." May said.

"Then why ask me?" Paul sneered.

"She has never told us, you two broke up." Misty said gently. She could see Paul's anger rise and she sort of felt bad for the guy.

Paul walked around them. He didn't care why they were out before sun up. He just had to get away from them.

At six am he arrived at his home and walked through the door, where saw Reggie at the table having a cup of coffee.

"Oh hello, I didn't expect you to come home any time soon." Reggie said smiling at his brother. "You look exhausted."

"Thanks," Paul groaned walking to his room. He flopped onto his bed and laid there thinking about the girl with midnight blue hair that he ran away from.

Why did he have to be so weak?

He knew running away was the weak thing to do, but he knew he was imploding, and he didn't want to blame Dawn for it, which he knew he would have if he had stayed with her. It took Paul until 8 am to fall asleep.

At 8 am that same morning Dawn was waking up at a PokeCenter in Kanto. She smiled at the day ahead, just like she always had. She got dressed, brushed her hair, and placed the same beanie on her head. She went to her pokeballs on the bedside table and released them.

"Weavile" The last of the pokemon cried.

Dawn gave an off set smile ( :/ ) as she looked at the steel pokemon, after putting pokefood on the ground. She finally sighed staring at the pokemon. "Weavile do you miss Paul?"

Weavile looked at her and put his hands on her squirrel pokemon, as if to say he wouldn't leave her.

"I know, but do you miss him?"

Weavile nodded.

Dawn sighed and sat on the bed, "I miss him too." Dawn put her head in her hands and got up, "I am going down to talk to my mother, and I will be up in a few minutes. Stay here and do not get into any trouble." Dawn instructed walking down stairs to the video phone.

Reggie popped up on the phone, when she plugged in her Poke…(A/N: You know what I don't have the foggiest idea, but lets just go with she starts talking to Reggie, agreed? Agreed, thanks!)

"Oh hey Reggie," Dawn said in shock.

"I was hoping you would get on this morning." The older man said. He sighed, "How have you been?"

Dawn dropped her smile. She had talked to Reggie quite a bit since she and Paul broke up. He always gave her his opinion and he it to her straight, while supporting her to carry on, but he didn't lie to her. "Same ole," Dawn sighed

"That isn't good, huh?" Reggie asked rubbing his hand together nervously.

"I am alright I supposed. Weavile misses Paul. I do too. However Paul seems to be winning well enough." Dawn looked down, "I have been watching a lot of battle results."

"He came home about two hours ago," Reggie said, "I think he walked through the night and just fell asleep, his room became quite just a few minutes ago. He was tapping."

Dawn looked a mixture between sad and shocked, "Really?"

"Look just be strong."

Dawn smiled and looked up at Reggie, "No need to worry." She said mock-cheerfully.

"Dawn you do realize anytime you say that I worry more?"

"Reggie what do you want me to say? I am carrying on with my life, and he won't speak to me. I **have** seen him." Dawn said exasperated.

"Well where are you headed now?" Reggie asked. "You just won the latest Grand Festival correct?"

"Yeah, I promised myself it wouldn't be like the one eight months ago." Dawn said pressing her lips in a line.

"Congrats Dawn" Reggie said giving a soft cheer so he wouldn't wake up Paul, have Paul come out here and all hell break loose.

"I think I am going to go home." Dawn said biting her lip.

"Are you sure that is a good idea?" Reggie asked, "I don't want you to get home and completely buckle."

Dawn rolled her eyes, "I won't I am just tired of trekking around."

"I thought you wanted to become a Coordinating Master." Reggie stated.

"Dreams change." Dawn frowned.

Reggie sighed. His heart hurt for the girl.

"Listen I am going to call my mother, do you want Weavile and Pachirisu?"

Reggie fell out of his seat. This made Dawn laugh. "Ouch, that really hurt!" Reggie said sulking as he sat back in the chair.

"Are you alright?" Dawn said covering her mouth, hiding her laughter.

"Fine, fine just hurting myself," Reggie smiled. It was good to see the used-to-be carefree girl laugh.

Dawn put her hand down allowing Reggie to see her smile, "So?"

"You mean like to keep?" Reggie clarified.

"Yes, that way Weavile can be near Paul. He can have him back, and if he does you can at least keep Pachirisu, some what close…" Dawn faded off.

Reggie sighed. He didn't know what to say to the girl. "You shouldn't give up on your dream, because you are having a hard time." He looked at her face, and he thought she looked like she felt strung out, "What if I keep them for a visit. You know, groom them and then you can take them back."

"I have tried to work with Weavile, and he has done enough to look partially acceptable in a contest, but I know he misses fighting. I can't help him there." Dawn said worried. "I think he is depressed."

"It might be because his owner is depressed." Reggie said.

"Then he does deserve to be with Paul." Dawn mumbled.

"Dawn, Paul is torn and hurt just like you are." Reggie said turning to look at his brother's room.

Dawn took a deep breath, "It is getting old Reggie. I am glad I have my dream, just right now; I think I need my mother. Unconditional love and what have you, I will take you up on grooming them. Would you ask Paul if he wants his Weavile back?"

"Sure, but why don't you drop them off. Before you go to Twinleaf come through Veilstone, don't worry Paul should be gone."

"I'd rather give them to you now. I do not plan to battle with them." Dawn said. "Let me put you on hold while I go get them." Dawn said getting up.

Reggie tried to stop her but it didn't work, the girl was gone. In a couple of minutes Dawn came back with two pokeballs. "Here they go!" she said playing them into the machine. The balls where transported to Reggie, which he showed to her as soon as they arrived.

"How long do you think it will take you to get here?" Reggie asked.

"Four days. I don't want to walk hard core. I want to relax and smell the roses." Dawn said smiling. "Well I need to get off." Dawn said.

"Bye, see you in four days." Reggie said ending the call. Once he hung up Reggie took the two pokeballs and looked at his brother's door.

He thought about putting them in his brother's room, but laid them on the kitchen table. Reggie then perked up and went to the store to get supplies to groom and pamper the two pokemon.

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><p>Ok so the sequel won't be a one shot, so I will get the next part of shortly. What did you think? Not my favorite story I have written for this pairing but, hopefully ya'll like it! I finally put this up here becuase I began to write on it... Don't expect an update within the next week. College is currently nuts. I have an English test I MUST pass and english (for those that have caught all my errors know this) is not my best subject. I also have two projects, trying to find a place to live, and a job. Then ontop of all that I have more outstanding circumstances that may prevent a quick update. However I will do my best.<p>

Thanks to anyone who actually read that paragraph :)

Rin


	2. Return home

Ok aside my blatant promise and failure to Rouge Cupcake to write and finish this story a long time ago. I have a chapter. I should be able to finish it in the next chapter after this I believe. I hope yall like this chapter and I hope Rouge Cupcake is still with me.

I do not own Pokemon.

Paul sat at the dining room table eating lunch, on the morning, unannounced to Paul that Dawn would be dropping by to pick up the pair of love bird pokemon. He watched the two pokemon chase each other around the hallway. He shoved another bite of food in his mouth as he snickered with a bit of bitterness that Weavile was toying with Parchirisu. He could have caught her if he wanted to, but she was having fun, and Paul imagined so was Weavile.

He had given up Weavile so he would not have to see the love struck pokemon and thing about Parchirisu's owner. The blue headed girl who was so bubbly and over the top that it drove up Paul up the wall when she would attack him with her feeling. He always had felt trapped and suffocated, and he thought without the reminder of her, it would go away. He trained harder to block out the memories of her, or bring up bad memories of when she traveled with Ash and she would get so mad at him for pushing his pokemon to hard. That made it easier, thinking of an angry Dawn than the one who loved him too much.

However the last four days had made Paul realize over the last year how much he missed the companionship. Sure he was winning 99% of his battles, but he no longer had a cheering section. He missed her hugs and even sometimes the quiet got to loud. He came to the conclusion he much rather would have had her chatter around.

He sighed to his food as he sorted over his feelings for the umpteenth time. He broke concentration when he saw the blue pokemon bound to the door letting out a happy cry.

"Oh hey Parchirisu, I missed you too." Dawn said walking further into the how hugging her pokemon, when she looked up and saw Paul.

She took a step back and turned to Reggie who was behind her and set his hand on her upper back. "Hi" She said quietly.

Paul nodded, "Hi"

"Dawn, are you hungry?" Reggie asked.

"No- no thanks." Dawn said with a shaky smile.

"Don't be silly you walked all the way here, take a seat." He said pushing her to the table and setting a plate of food in front of her.

She took a mini sandwich off the plate and took a bite. Weavile came up and poked the pokemon in her lap. "Parchirisu go play with him."

"Are you taking them with you?" Paul asked staring at his own food.

"I," Dawn paused and she moved the half eaten sandwich around her plate. "Was going to let you have your Weavile back"

Paul shook his head, "Keep him"

Dawn chewed the other half of the sandwich as she tried to keep her calm. She wanted to be mad at him for leaving a year ago, but she couldn't bring herself to past angry with herself and sad he was gone. "He is not happy with me."

Paul looked at his pokemon. "He will be fine."

"You weren't." She said softly.

He looked up at her.

"That is why you left. You would chase me around and around and ..." She faltered on how to finish "Weren't happy."

Paul nodded, "You saw how much she missed you over four days. She would be just as miserable, more so if she started to cry."

Dawn clasped her hands under the table. "Yeah"

Paul noticed how quiet she was being, and he was taken back. He hadn't seen her so timid before. "Good job at the Kanto Grand Festival"

She flushed, "Thanks." She looked at the door and sighed. "You-" She bit back the waiver that came for forth and cleared her throat "Have been doing well as well."

Paul nodded.

She stood up and went to her pokemon and whispered, "Do you want to come home with me?"

The squirrel pokemon stood on her hind legs and shook her head. Dawn felt a tear run down her cheek, "Okay, that is okay. "She smiled "I didn't think you would. Now you can't cry ok? I will miss you too, but no crying." She said as another tear ran down her face. "I love you, and I want you to be very happy." She said petting the pokemon's head, and drying her cheeks with her other hand.

"You are going home?" Paul asked now standing from the table.

Dawn turned around spooked by his question, "Um yeah." She took a deep breath and stood up tall, feeling her shoulder's tremble and hoped it wasn't noticeable to him. She was going to be strong during this exchange and then when she got home she could let it all out.

"Everything ok?" Paul asked his eye looked soft but his words were not.

She nodded rapidly, "Not to worry just going home for a visit." She took a step to the door.

"Dawn?" Paul asked. He could see the hurt on her face and it clogged his throat. "You never could lie" He smirked a little.

She smiled nervously and bounced in place. She took a folded paper and darted toward him slipped it in his hand let her lips brush his jaw and flew out of the door. When she turned the corner off his street she took a breather, dried her eyes, and walked towards Twin Leaf Town.

Paul stared into the space, which Dawn had been standing in 30 seconds before, assessing what happen. His jaw tingled and he gave a soft smile. He did enjoy that she was shorten than he was and could reach his jaw when she looked up. Despite her rapid movement the kiss had been gentle. When he went to touch his jaw he remembered she had slipped something into his hand. He looked at the paper in his palm.

When he unfolded the paper he read:

_Paul_

_I have thought about what you said a lot over the last year. You were right and I am sorry for suffocating you. I never meant to do that. I just couldn't believe you could like me or much less love me, and I was afraid it would go away if I wasn't there. I have spent a long time being mad at you for never telling me how unhappy you were. I should have seen it, but I would have stopped had I know it would mean you would stay. I am sorry for the note, but I know I can't say this stuff to you without crying, and I know you hate tears. You should have told me. Did you not want to? I hope you are happy now. I only wanted to make you happy._

There were tears stains on the sheet of paper. "Well Damn it" Paul swore looking over the paper.

Reggie came up behind his brother, "Did she leave?"

"Yup" Paul said popping the 'p'. He continues to stare at the note and his one thought was, 'You did'. He cursed himself for still loving her and for missing her all this time.

"She left Parchirisu" Reggie said picking up the pokemon and taking the forlorn one in his arms.

"She said she didn't want to go, so she said good bye." Paul said pursing his lips.

"And you?" Reggie asked nodding to the letter. "Do you think you could talk to her, and tell her how you feel? "

Paul's head snapped up from the letter. "What?"

"If she got to bubbly and cuddly and too much, could you tell her to stop and explain what you don't like?" Reggie asked and before his brother answered he continued, "Heavens knows you could do it in front of strangers, you nearly knocked her into the dirt a few times on tv."

Paul felt his neck burn. He never meant to be so harsh or violent with her.

"Or, are you going to be indifferent now and hurt and sulk later?" Reggie asked stepping closer to his brother.

"I do not sulk!" Paul said indignitally.

"Please, you came in at 8 am 4 days ago and slept all day. Nearly burned a whole in the table stareing while you at your lunch today." Reggie smiled. "Paul you are unhappy it is ok, but what are you going to do about it."

Paul handed his brother the letter and grabbed his bag by the door and walked out of the front door.


	3. Return together?

The Last instalment to "The Return?" I know my updates have been… terrible, quite frankly and when you know how long it has been since "Runaway", it makes me cringe. This was hard to write for me. (If you have made it this far in the introduction bless you, but you may want to stop now and go to the story). Runaway was very personal for me and was a traumatizing event 4 years ago, since I have moved on and I have a good life now, but that story certainly did not have the fluff Ikari shippers (myself included) want. So it was hard for me to make something up when it started so personal. But now I have and here we are. Enjoy and if you feel nice leave a review they brighten my day.

As Paul walked out the door he released his Honcrow. "Dawn's house" he grunted. Climbing on the boss pokemon's back, the bird took off. He did not look down to find her on the road below him because he needed time to think. What did he want to say to Dawn? How could he tell her? He had never been good with words, or emotions, and if he wanted her back, he needed to come up with something. And boy, did he want her back? He sure did.

Of course Paul arrived at Dawn's house long before she did so he grunted a "Thanks" to his pokemon as he returned him to his pokeball, and sat on the porch of Dawn's house. Dawn's mother came home a few hours later and saw the purple haired male sitting on her porch. "Oh hello, Paul, Dawn is not here. She should be back tomorrow or the next day."

Paul looked up at the mention of his name and nodded, "Yes ma'am I know. I was just going to sit and wait. If that is ok?" He asked trying to be polite has he knew how to Dawn's mother.

"Well why don't you come inside- "

Paul shook his head cutting her off "I don't want to be in the way" He said remaining in his spot on the porch.

Dawn's mother gave a gentle sigh and smiled, "Well ok, but feel free to change your mind." She said walking around him and going inside. Before she shut the door he muttered a thanks and went back to his thought process, how to tell Dawn he missed her.

Two days later Dawn came home and walked through the front door, "Mom! I am ho-" Her call was lost as she saw Paul sitting on the couch. She physically withdrew to standing outside of the house. "What?! Are you doing here" She hissed. Angry.

Dawn's mother poked her head out of the kitchen. "Hey sweetie welcome home!"

Dawn scurried around the couch, slamming the door and seething never taking her eyes off Paul until she got to the kitchen.

"How was your-" Her mother asked cheerfully, but was cut off by her daughter.

"What is he doing here?!" She hissed in a whisper.

"He got here late two days ago and stayed on the porch until midnight, and I couldn't let him just stay outside. So he has been on the couch ever since."

Dawn shivered with anger. This was her home! She left him in Veilstone. Why did he not stay there?! She has cried more times than she cared to count on the way home and had finally got to where she could smile and not cry. And boom he was here in her home!

"Dawn I think you two need to talk." Her mom said pulling her into a motherly hug.

"But mom" Dawn said feeling her throat tightened and her breath hitch in her chest.

"It is ok Dawn. I will be upstairs in my room. Just call if you need me ok?" She pulled her daughter back from her and peered into her eyes, "You are ok," She smiled. "It is ok to cry"

Dawn put a hand to her mouth to try and suppress a sob that was trying to work its way out.

"Now go." Her mom gave a loving nudge to the living room.

Dawn walked to the couch and looked down at Paul.

"Can we talk?" Paul asked quietly.

Johanna walked around the couch and up the stairs her bedroom.

Dawn sat next to Paul on the couch rigidly. "Speak" She bit.

Paul heaved and nodded. "I deserved that." He pulled out her note and handed it to her. "You did"

She looked bewildered as she opened the note and stared at it not really reading it.

"You made me so happy Dawn." Paul said very quietly.

Dawn stayed very quiet and set the paper down on his leg.

"And I am sorry for what I did, and the way I treated you." Paul said looking at Dawn. "I was wrong to treat you that way." She was staring at the floor wringing her hands together and chewing on her bottom lip. The tell-tale sign she was trying to not cry.

Paul put one of his hands over both of hers. This action broke her concentration and she looked up to him. "Do you want to come here?" He asked opening his arms and offered to hold the girl who was nearly in tears; signally it was ok that she needed to cry. She had tried so many times not to cry in front of him thinking that made her weak, but really her tears made Paul feel weak.

Dawn leaned into his arms and the tears broke their flood gate. Paul leaned against the back of the couch and held her as she sobbed. "You are an asshole" She mumbled into his chest.

Paul nodded and he felt the warmth in his arms and relished how he had missed this over the last year.

"That was a terrible thing you did, just to leave!" She cried giving a slight pound to his chest, not enough to hurt but to convey her anger.

"I am so sorry." Paul said softly into her hair. "I didn't… I didn't think-"

Dawn shoved away from him hastily "You didn't think!" She accused. "You didn't' think at all!" She hissed. "You didn't think of how I felt, or what it would do to me!"

Paul looked mortified at her outburst. "You're right." He said slowly. He bit his tongue and took a deep breathe "I was wrong".

"Why are you here?" She sneered.

Paul sat back up and nodded. "Your note," He looked at her "I wanted to let you know how happy you made me."

She sharply inhaled and shot a glare that made Paul glad looks couldn't kill.

"And because you running out, sucked. It made me realized how much I had hurt you. Have you always questioned my love for you?"

Dawn squirmed trying to not lose her resolve.

Paul took her silence as the answer he feared most. He looked to the front door, away from Dawn and felt his eyes burn. "Damn it" He tucked his head down and shook his head slightly trying to not cry himself. He looked at her once more before his eyes got teary and saw her chewing on her lip again and her anger gone. A tear rolled down his cheek and her hand sprung to his face and caught the bit of moisture. He held her hand to his face and felt his shoulders give into a silent sob. He pulled her hand past him pulling her into his chest and he held her firmly as he cried. It was only a few tears and only a few convulsions of his chest until he could get control of his breath and said into her hair "I've loved you more so than I ever thought I could love anyone. I didn't think there was someone for me, but you… I love you, and ever since the day I kissed you. I have never stopped."

He felt Dawn sob into his chest at his confession and he held her for a while, but was never long enough to Paul.

"I can't" She wailed into her chest.

Paul furrowed his brow and pulled her away slightly, enough to look at her face. "You can't?" He asked anxiously. He had a knot in his chest that made him think this wouldn't be good.

"You- " She sobbed and sharply inhaled trying to stop crying. She looked at him and scrunched her nose.

He rubbed her back and gave her a nod, to keep going.

"Came here, and confessed your love and apologized and," She laid her head on his shoulder. "And I love you too."

Paul gave a small smile, she couldn't see, and gave her a small squeeze.

"But I can't be with you." She squeaked.

Paul felt an anvil fall on his heart and as he felt his throat tighten he swallowed hard and rubbed her back gently. He rationalized with himself he knew this may happen. He couldn't have expected her to take him back. He cleared his throat and nodded. "Yeah, I get it."

She looked up and saw a stony face and felt her face contort. "I would always fear you leaving me again. It would kill me, and make you hate me. I couldn't stand you hating me,"

He hugged her again and felt his resolve slipping away. "I couldn't hate you" he said tightly. "I am lucky you don't hate me."

She cupped his face in her hand and gave a soft smile. "I don't hate you, but you broke my trust."

He nodded. Half of him desperately wanted her to move her hand. It made him want to melt into her, and he had to withhold some of his pride when he left. The other half kept him from moving her hand himself, because he really did like her caress. "Could I kiss you? One last-"His voice broke and he gave his head a shake "last time" He said, voice small.

She blushed and nodded. Part of her was screaming to not kiss him, but for now in this moment, the part that loved the male before her won out, knowing that this was the last kiss she would get from him.

He held her face firmly and lowered his head to hers, resting his forehead on hers for just a moment. Just long enough to look into the deep navy eyes before him that shone with tears that revealed pain that he had caused her. He choked back his anguish and kissed her. He felt how soft her lips were against his. He inhaled threw his nose her strawberry perfume and felt her relax under his touch. She took a shaky breath through her mouth and he explored her mouth for the last time. She played with his tongue not really fighting it, just dancing around it. He retracted his tongue to see if hers would follow and to his joy he felt her take dominance in his mouth for a moment, and he relished her action until she withdrew. Completely.

He sat up and saw her blushed complexion. His own face was warm. He closed his eyes and sighed. "You are just home to visit?" He asked.

She nodded silently.

He stood up and took a few steps to the front door. . He opened the door took one step over the threshold and turned his head to the girl on the couch. "I know I cannot ask you to promise, but please don't stay forever." He said heavily. Hurt shining in his eyes. He knew he had broken her heart, and her trust, he could stand to know he broke her spirit.

She gave a minuscule nod that could have been a twitch.

"Kick some ass. Knock 'em dead." He said walking out the door shutting it behind him.

El Fin

Now I am partial to happy endings. And I have an idea for an extension of this story. Would anyone want to read it?

Thank you all

Rin


End file.
